It's no secret that many children love dressing up, be it in a costume or in their older sibling's clothing and they can especially enjoy slipping into a pair of their mum's high heels and tottering around the house.

But now Matalan are offering little ones the chance to have their own pair of 'statement' shoes, complete with a small wedge heel, so they can step out in style in the summer months.

However not everyone is impressed with the store's new offering, with doctors slamming the idea of kids wearing heels.

The shoes feature a heel of around two inches and can be worn by children as young as three-years-old

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According to the College of Podiatry millions of kids are at risk of experiencing issues with their feet, due to wearing unsuitable shoes at such a young age - this can include blisters, callouses, bruising and ligament problems.

They claim celebrities are inspiring girls as young as six to wear heels, with one in ten now doing so, and parents aren't helping buck the trend, with a fifth saying they feel pressured to splash the cash on trendy footwear for their children.

Dr Stewart Morrison, of the College of Podiatry, added: "It's worrying that so many children are wearing shoes which either don't fit them properly or are not suitable for everyday wear.

"Children's feet are still growing and are more susceptible to damage than adult feet, so it's really vital to ensure they are wearing shoes which fit them well - in width as well as length - and that they are suitable for age as well as the task they are wearing them for.

"We recommend parents have their children's feet measures and their everyday shoes fitted by a professional."